Details on Cancer in US

Cancer is detrimental to people. It is not just a sip le disease but is also treated as a human killer. It is considered as one of the most serious health problem next to heart disease. Being defined, cancer is illness on which the cells grow and divide beyond the normal limit, destroy other cells, and even spread this into different part and location of the body. This disease chooses no limit; anyone can have these types of condition. Millions of people suffer from this fatal condition. It was estimated by experts, that after several years, cancer would claim for about 6.

2 million lives including men, women, and even children. Also, according to them, it is possible that there would be more victims affected by cancer globally for the coming years. However, given such fact, there are still many reported cases that successfully passed the tragic of having cancer. That’s why there have been different organizations who want to help the problem and minimize the number of victim of cancer. One of those organizations is the American Cancer Society, which has mire than 3,400 offices worldwide and is located at Atlanta Georgia.

Former American Society for the Control of Cancer (ASCC), the American Cancer Society was established in 1913 joined by 15 physicians including business leaders in New York City. It was considered as one of the most unforgettable in the history of New York, for having such organization concern with public health. In the early 1913, cancer was not that known and not often reported to the public and society. Awareness of cancer was very low for that moment. Decease victimizes 75,000 people a year in the United States only cause by the decease itself.

People involved in the society knew that they have to make public awareness through proper education and information dissemination about cancer if they want progress… Doctors, nurses, and professionals had advertising campaigns containing articles that educate masses with regards to cancer. There has been a campaign that encourages doctors and physicians to be part of the society as well as the campaign. By 1936, Marjorie G. Illig came up with the idea of a new way to have that progress. The proposal was by creating an organization of new selected volunteers that will promote war against cancer.

That was called the Women’s Field Army. First step done was to raise money by using different tactics. Through this, Clarence Little, who was the ASCC’s managing director reported that by 1935, 15,000 people who suffered cancer were in control. By 1938, number of victims of cancer reached up to ten times of the previous. After this, ASCC was renamed by American Cancer Society in the year 1945. 1946, they have risen for over $4 million reserved for the education program of the society. Year 1947, there has been public awareness through showing and releasing ads that indicates the signs of having cancer.

This was called “Cancers Danger Signals”. These includes: there’s a wound that does not heal, thickening in other part of the body most especially in the breast, abnormal bleeding, change or difference on warts, continuous indigestion and cough, and difference in bowel habits. After 10 years, this was changed and was replaced by CAUTION. 1980, Dr Sidney Farber was the first receiver of the Society’s program. Aminopterin was first used for the cure of the disease, followed by the era chemotherapy as another way of treatment for cancer.

Through the years, they discovered that smoking is closely associated with the cause of cancer and showed the relevance of cleaning or termed Pap smear, Interferon as fighting drug for cancer and many more. They funded researches for over $3 billion dollars as well for the Novel Prize winner. Middle point of the American Cancer Society was the creation of the logo of the ACS. The sword which symbolizes the continuous fight for cancer and twined serpents symbolizes the prevention of the disease. Now, the organization has established their name which helps and supports the cancers victims.

What we discussed is the positive side, now let’s look more about ACS. It was reported that the American Cancer Society is really receiving wealth being “charity”. From James Bennett, a professor in the course economics at the University of George Mason, declared that in 1988, ACS had a total balance of $410 million and worth $69 million of lands, buildings and equipment and spent only $90 million or just 26 percent of its budget for researches and other medical programs. The balance of the money was used for operating charges which includes salaries for employees, pensions and many more.

By 1989, the fund reached up to $700 million and in 1991, trough the beliefs of the Americans that they greatly help in fighting cancer; they shared $350 million which was 6 percent higher than the previous year. Fund of ACS mostly comes from the public, but with the following decades, corporations have also shared to support the program. Then, there exist the American Cancer Foundation mainly created so that ACS can now legally ask for fund in many ways like soliciting. The result of this effort was not wasted but instead a great success. There are millions of fund entered the organization.

1992, there is this certain article who said that ACS is not really for the sake of cancer victims, but instead, for money and wealth. ACS didn’t stop searching way to gather funds. There is continuous fund raising that was said to support the cancer programs and having money at hand for about $750 million and assets. Also at the same year, the Wall Street Journal, author Thomas DiLorenzo declared that ACS owned over $11 million worth of land and real estate and also 56 cars which was owned by the executives and other 45 for the staffs and employees. Having the budget, they only gave its 10 percent for public services.

Needless to say, not all money was brought to the cancer victims. Moreover, only 16 percent of the derived fund goes for the direct service of ACS. Where the money goes? Large percent of the fund raised by ACS went to salaries, travel expenses of executives, and many more. The truth is that more than half of the budget goes to the expenditure of the executives and employees. To be exact, that is about 52 percent of the fund raised obviously bigger than where the money should be allotted. There have been appeals for fund raising due to the insufficient fund, but the question is, why there is so much expenditure by top management.

Donors and contributors believes that their contributions goes with the treatment of patients suffering from cancer and not for own goods. To achieve progress, there must be proper allocation of budget the aims to protect and help cancer victims. It should be use for different cancer services and programs. Another one, there exists the fund, for researches, they do not focus on the ways on how to prevent the disease but instead promoting drugs that will cure cancer. Through this, people can conclude that they were not really aiming to fight cancer but instead to advertise products that will cure cancer.

It seems that the fund supposedly for preventing cancer went to the research of drugs that will cure and later, will be sold to the people. In addition, the way used by ACS for fighting cancer is the “blame-the-victim” strategy. They continuously blame people rather than educating for a healthy environment unexposed to carcinogens. Their silence with the issue benefited corporations that are large contributors of pollution and carcinogens. Given their promises to wipe cancer 100 percent globally failed to the do so. They were not heard in the Congress even there are lots of opportunities to be heard.

ACS continued to fail for responding with the Congress. These are the proofs: 1. 1971, ACS refused the invitation to have their testimony in FDA to ban the used of diethylstilbestrol (DES). 2. ACS disagreed that hair coloring products with dyes can also cause cancer. 3. ACS rejects the Congressional Moratorium which bans the use of saccharin. The continuous rejection of ACS tested their sincerity with the program and the organization for treating cancer. Because of this, there are scientist who declared that ACS was not performing well to prevent people from the elements in the environment that causes cancer.

This report of criticism declared that the exposure of people in an environment rich in cancer causing elements resulted human suffered from the disease. What they want to imply is that, ACS should make ways to prevent cancer instead of researching things on how to cure it. Studies showed that exposure to different elements such carcinogens fasten the growth of cancer. What ACS should do is to respond with Congress, and make it as partner of imposing laws that will ban the used of different cancer causing elements. They should not neglect the opportunity to solve the worsening problem of cancer.

If they really want to advocate and help people against cancer, they should set objectives that promotes the prevention rather than in the way of curing. In addition, funds gathered should goes on where it should be, because there are lot of people who really want to address this worsening problem. They should not waste the time that the public still trust their name as one of the most charitable organization the helps the public. They have established a good name globally, it should be used well, so that people suffering from the disease receives what they should receive. It’s the life that matters, and life is the issue.

We should not sacrifice one for our own sake. Works Cited DiLorenzo, T. J. Uneconomic war on cancer. Journal of Wall Street, March 1992, p. A10. Hall, H. , and Williams, G. Professor vs. Cancer Society. The Chronicle of Philanthropy, January 1992, p. 26. Bennett, J. T. , and DiLorenzo, T. J. Unhealthy Charities and Wealth. Basic Books, New York, 1994. ACS Inc.. ACS History: http://www. cancer. org/docroot/AA/content/AA_1_4_ACS_History. asp. retrieved November 10,2007 Bennett, J. T. , and DiLorenzo, T. J. Unhealthy Charities: Hazardous to Your Health and Wealth. Basic Books, New York, 1994.